The present invention is directed to methods and apparatus for forming molded food products and, more particularly, to a method and an assembly for forming a molded food product from a fibrous material resulting in enhanced natural texture of the molded food product. Various types of food patties are molded in high-volume automated molding machines. These can include hamburgers, xe2x80x9cribs,xe2x80x9d fish cakes, chicken patties, pork and others characterized by fiber in the product. An example of such a molding machine and the molding process is disclosed in the Sandberg et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,372,008.
The Sandberg patent identifies one of the problems inherent in molding food products. While the molding machines can make products consistent in size, weight and volume, some have difficulty in producing a realistic food texture. The Sandberg patent addresses that problem by providing a food mold fill plate as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 herein, and an associated fill assembly. As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, a mold fill plate 60 formed as a generally rectangular planar metallic body 62 having a plurality of openings 64 formed in rows and columns through the surface thereof Mounting openings 66 are provided around the edge of the body 62.
As will be explained in greater detail hereinafter, the food molding process involves forcing a flowable food product, such as ground meat, through a mold fill plate such as that illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, or one having an alternate configuration. The food product flows through the openings 64 in the mold fill plate. According to the prior mold plate illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the food product flows into generally vertical plugs that expand radially outwardly to contact one another or the walls of the mold chamber. This produces a series of vertically aligned meat fibers that are loosely bound at the plug boundaries. This provides an initial step toward a more natural texture, especially with hamburger or ground pork. A more detailed description of the food molding process will follow hereinafter.
Even though the natural texture of a hamburger patty is enhanced by the use of the prior mold plate, other forms of food products do not achieve such a benefit with the prior configuration. For example, ribbed or rib patties are a popular item and are formed to resemble a natural meat product with defined ribs. The current state of the art does not allow the ribbed meat products to assume a more natural texture. Therefore, the need exists to provide a meat molding apparatus that will provide a ribbed food product with a natural texture.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a food mold assembly and method that will provide a more naturally textured, ribbed food product.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a method and apparatus that will provide a ribbed product that tends to break at naturally appearing rib sections that will thus enhance the desirability of such a molded meat product.
To those ends, the present invention provides a mold plate, a mold plate assembly and a method for molding a food product to provide a food product that aligns fibrous food material to achieve a more natural texture than has been previously available. Accordingly, a mold plate for a food product molding machine is provided wherein a flowable food product containing fibrous material is injected through the mold fill plate into a mold chamber, the mold chamber being formed according to a predetermined food product configuration, and the flowable mixture thereby assuming the shape of the food product mold chamber and having a texture characterized by the fibrous material with the mold fill plate including a planar body defining a longitudinal extent and a transverse extent, the body being formed by the plurality of elongate slots arranged along at least a portion of the longitudinal extent. Each slot of the plurality of slots extending across at least a portion of the transverse extent.
The elongate slots are preferably formed in a generally parallel orientation and also preferably formed with graduated lengths.
The present invention also provides a mold fill assembly for a food product molding machine characterized above where the mold fill assembly includes a mold fill plate including a planar body defining a longitudinal extent and a transverse extent, the mold fill plate being formed by a plurality of elongate slots arranged along at least a portion of the longitudinal extent, each slot of the plurality of slots extending across at least a portion of the transverse extent. A shuttle plate is provided that is disposed adjacent the mold fill plate and slidably mounted thereto. The shuttle plate includes a plurality of elongate cavities corresponding to the slots formed in the mold fill plate and moveable in and out of registry therewith when the shuttle plate slides relative to the mold fill plate, whereby the flowable food product containing fibrous material is directed through the cavities and the slots and into the mold chamber with fibers within the fibrous mixture becoming generally aligned along the slots and cavities to provide a food product with enhanced natural texture.
It is preferred that the elongate slots formed in the mold fill plate are arranged in a generally parallel orientation and that the elongate slots in the mold fill plate are formed with graduated lengths.
The present invention may also be characterized as a mold fill assembly for a meat molding machine for forming a ribbed meat product wherein a flowable meat product containing fibrous material is injected through the mold fill assembly into a mold chamber, the mold chamber being formed with a ribbed meat product configuration, the flowable mixture thereby assuming the shape of the ribbed meat product and having a texture characterized by the fibrous material. The mold fill assembly includes a mold fill plate having a planar body defining a longitudinal extent and a transverse extent, the mold fill plate being formed in the plurality of elongate slots arrange along a portion of the longitudinal extent with each slot of the plurality of slots extending across a portion of the transverse extent. A shuttle plate is provided and disposed adjacent the mold fill plate and slidably mounted thereto. The shuttle plate includes a plurality of elongate cavities corresponding to the slots formed in the mold fill plate and moveable in and out of registry therewith when the shuttle plate slides relative to the mold plate, whereby the flowable meat product containing fibrous material is directed through the cavities and slots into the mold chamber with fibers within the fibrous mixture becoming generally vertically aligned along the slots and cavities to provide a ribbed meat product with enhanced natural texture including the tendency to separate along naturally appearing rib portions when urged. Preferably, the elongate slots formed in the mold fill plate are arranged in a generally parallel orientation. Further, the elongate slots formed in the mold fill plate are preferably formed with graduated lengths.
The present invention also provides a method for forming a rib meat product. The method for forming a ribbed meat product uses a meat molding machine wherein a flowable meat product containing fibrous material is injected into a mold chamber, the mold chamber being formed with a ribbed meat product configuration whereby the flowable mixture assumes the shape of the mold chamber and has a texture characterized by the fibrous material.
The method includes the steps of providing a meat molding machine having a mold chamber and characterized by a meat mold assembly including a mold fill plate having a planar body defining a meat molding machine having a mold chamber and characterized by a meat mold assembly including a mold fill plate having a planar body defining a longitudinal extent and a transverse extent, the mold fill plate being formed with a plurality of elongate slots arranged along a portion of the longitudinal extent with each slot of the plurality of slots extending across a portion of the transverse extent. A shuttle plate is disposed adjacent the mold fill plate and slidably mounted thereto with the shuttle plate including a plurality of elongate cavities corresponding to the slots formed in the mold fill plate and moveable in and out of a registry therewith when the shuttle plate slides relative to the mold fill plate.
The method further includes the steps of providing a supply of flowable meat product and injecting the flowable meat product through the mold fill assembly and into the mold chamber, whereby the flowable meat product containing fibrous material is directed through the cavities in the slots into the mold chamber with fibers within the fibrous mixture becoming generally vertically aligned along the slots and cavities. The present inventive method further includes the step of moving the shuttle plate relative to the mold fill plate to move the cavities out of registry with the slots to cut any meat product including fibrous material in the mold chamber away from the meat product supply, wherein the method thereby provides a ribbed meat product with enhanced natural texture, including the tendency to separate along naturally appearing rib portions when urged.